Self cleaning dust mop



Jan. 2, 1934. A. B. couRcl-IENE 1,942,204

SELF' CLEANING DUST MOP Filed July 30, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l --vxr Z911:

16 2g @im h Jan. 2, 1934. A, B. CQURCHENE 1,942,204

SELF CLEANING DUST MOP Filed July 30, 1932 2 Sheet-S-Sheet 2 lgj iE/-6.,

MHH M Patented Jan. 2, 1934 UNITED STATES SELF CLEANING DUs'r Mor Anatolle B. Coul-chene, Chicago, Ill., assigner of one-half to Homer B. Courchene, Downers Grove, Ill.

Application July 30, 1932. Serial No. 626,255

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to a self cleaning dust or floor mop and particularly to a mop useful for cleaning hard surfaces such, for example, as wood, tile, stone, brick, or other flooring, lineoleum, and the like. The mop may be utilized as an oil mop or as a dry mop.

The present invention contemplates a floor mop which is self cleaning in the sense that the mop element may be brush cleaned as often as lo desired, by brush means carried by the mop structure, and operable by the user. The mop element and the brush are arranged for relative movement for the purpose of cleaning the mop element by the brush. When the mop element 1 5 is to be cleaned, the mop is raised from the floor and the relative movement imparted whereby the brush may clean the surface of the mop element. The means for imparting relative movement to the mop element and brush may be disposed in any convenient place on the mop or mop handle for the user or operator. v

Generally speaking, the invention contemplates a mop element of cylindrical form provided with an exterior surface of short pile fabric, and a brush arranged to brush the surface of the mop element under certain conditions.

The invention further contemplates means operable along the mop handle for imparting relative rotation to the brush and mop element for the purpose of cleaning the mop element as desired. The mop element is restrained against rotative movement during the mopping operation.

An object of the present invention is to provide a self-cleaning floor mop which is light in Weight, of durable construction, and one which may be manufactured at low cost in quantity lots.

Another object or the invention is toprovide a floor mop in which provision is made for brush cleaning the mop element as often as desired, by a simple movement of a conveniently arranged actuator.

A further object of the invention is to provide a self cleaning floor mop so constructed that all of the parts are quickly assembled and disassembled for repair and maintenance.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a self cleaning floor mop made of parts simply constructed from inexpensive materials and which is efficient in use.

The above, other and further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description, accompanying drawings, and appended claims.

An embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and the views thereof, as follows:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view, with the handle broken away, of a mop embodying principles of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of a mop constructed in accordance with the principles rof the present invention and showing the same as it appears in use on a floor or other surface being cleaned.

Figure 3 is a fragmental enlarged central sectional View taken substantially in the plane of line III- III of Figure 4.

Figure 4 is a top View of the mop structure with the cover plate removed, showing the arrangement of the mop element and the cleaning brushes, and other details of construction.

Figure 5 is a fragmental sectional View taken substantially in the plane of V-V of Figure 4.

Figure 6 isa fragmental sectional viewtaken substantially in the plane of line VI-VI of Figure 1.

Figure '7 is an enlarged, fragmental sectional view through a portion of the mop handle showing certain details of construction and arrangement.

Figure 8 is a view, partially in section, taken substantially in the plane of line VIII-VIII of Figure 5, showing the brush comb somewhat in detail.

Figure 9 is a fragmental view, also la sectional view taken substantially in the plane of line IX-EX of Figure 1, showing certain details of construction of the handle.

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken substantially in the plane of line X-X of Figure l.

Figure 1l is an enlarged section taken on line XI-XI of Figure 4.

Figure 12 is a fragmental elevational View of one end of the mop element shaft, showing its removable support in the head.

The drawingswill now be explained.

For convenience, the mop illustrated in the accompanying drawings will be described as comprising a handle designated generally at A 100 and a head designated generally at B.

The head B is made of sheet metal and includes a shell or casing l having end walls 2 and 3 formed as a part of the integral casing and a bottom 4. A front wall 5, also a part of the in- 105 tegral casing, extends upwardly from the bottern 4 and at its upper end is provided with an inturned ledge 6, the purpose of which Will be later explained.

The head B is designed to contain the clean- 110 ing brush or brushes for the mop element, to carry the mop element, and to provide a hopper for the accumulation of dirt removed from the mop element by the brush elements. Within the head B are provided means fo-r combing the brush elements to remove therefrom the matted accumulation of foreign matter removed from the mop element.

A removable cover plate 7 is provided for the casing 1 to enclose the parts therein assembled and to retain therein the dirt accumulated. The cover 7 may be removed for discharging the dirt when desired.

The front of the casing l is open, which opening receives a portion of the mop element C.

Two L-shaped strips 8 and 9, reversed in position, are attached to the head B. Portions of the members 8 and 9 are securedby rivets 10 or equivalent fastening means, to the rear side of the casing l and with the other portions 11 and l2 respectively extending forwardly from the rear side of the casing 1. T-hese members are best seen in Figure 4 wherein it is observed that the intermediate portions of the parts l1 and 12 are inwardly bowed at 13 and 14 so that the bowed portions rest against the end walls 2 and 3 of the head B, thus maintaining the portions 11 and 12, in the main, out of contact with the ends 2 and 3 of the casing 1. The forward ends of the members 11 and 12 are bifurcated to provide jaws for removably receiving a mop element C.

The mop element C is illustrated as comprising a cylindrical shell 15 having an axially extending slot 16 formed in its surface at one point of the same. Heads 17 are provided which heads have flanges 18 for fitting within the ends of the cylindrical portion 15 and which heads are dished to provide hub portions 19. The hub portions 19 engage hubs 20. The anges 18 of the heads 17 are so designed as to provide space for securing the iianges adjacent the outer end of the shell 15, as, for example, by welding, or riveting, or in any other suitable manner.

A shaft 21 extends throughout the length of the mop element C and projects through the hubs 20, extending outwardly of these hubs slight distances. Attached to the ends of the shaft 21 are blocks 22 having two of the oppesite faces thereof grooved. The blocks 22 are secured to the shaft 21 by bolts 23 threaded through the block 22 and the shaft 21. The bolts 23 thus lock the blocks to the shaft 21. The mop element C is freely rotatable on the shaft 21.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the mop element C as comprising two sleeves 24 and 25 each of which consists of a cylindrical fabric of short pile material with the meeting ends projecting inwardly through the slot 16 in the surface of the shell 15. j

Figure 3 illustrates the inwardly extending ends 26 of the fabric or carpetutilized for providing the mopping surface of the mop element.

,. The sleeves 24 and 25 are axially spaced to receive therebetween a rubber or suitable friction ring 27 which is applied over the shell l5 and positioned at the middle of the same. Sleeves 24 and 25 are then applied over opposite ends of the shell 15 and pushed against the friction ring 27 with the inturned ends26 extending through the slot 16 in the surface of the shell. Figure 5 illustrates a sectional view of the mop element as thus described and as illustrated. The mop element C is removably retained in the head B by engagement of the blocks 22 with slots in extensions of the end walls 2 and 3, the parts forming the slots receive the grooves in the blocks to retain these blocks against rotation with respect to the head and thus hold the shaft 21 against rotation when the mop element is rotated.

Figure 6 illustrates generally the chosen exemplication of the construction of the mop element C.

Centrally disposed within the head B is a double partition member designated generally at D which is fashioned from sheet metal bent back on itself to provide parallel spaced walls 28 and 29. These walls are connected by central portions 30 and v3l, the latter being spaced from the former. Lugs 32 are struck out from sides of the member D and are fastened against the rear wall 1 of the casing by bolts or rivets, preferably by bolts, so that the member D may be removed if necessary, for repair and replacement of the contained elements.

Within the member D there are carried rollers 33 and 34 which are mounted on stub shafts 35 and 36 respectively carried in the side walls 28 and 29 of the member D. The walls 28 and 29 at the forward ends thereof, are provided with registering slots 36 within which travels a shaft,

37 and a toothed roller 38 engageable with the friction band 27 on the mop element C. A U- shaped spring 39 has its ends maintained between pins 40--41 and an intermediate bent portion forming a loop 42. The forward portion of the spring 39 bears against the shaft 37 to urge it and its supported toothed wheel 38 at all times against the friction band 27 on the mop element C. Thus the toothed wheel or roller 38 is oatingly supported.

The side walls 28 and 29 of this member D have a square cut-away portion lying between the adjacent ends of the central portions 30 and 31.

A sprocket wheel 43 is fixed to a shaft 44 which shaft in turn passes through washers 45 and 46 arranged one on each side of the sprocket wheel 43, and also through square bearing blocks 48. The square bearing blocks 47 and 48 enter the square cut-away portions in the side Walls 28 and 29 to serve as bearing members for the shaft 44. The washers 45 and 46, when in position, are interposed respectively between the sprocket wheels 43 and the square blocks 47 and 48. The ends of the shaft 44 have slots 49 cut therein for a purpose to be later explained. A sprocket chain 50 is trained over the sprocket wheel 43 and extends into the handle E of the mop structure. One run of the chain engages the under side of the roller 33 and the other run of the chain engages the under side of the roller 34.

Within the handle A is removably supported a pulley supporting member or bracket 51 which carries a pulley 52 over which the sprocket chain 50 is trained. The supporting member 51 is made from sheet metal stamped into substantially U-shape in elevation, as may be observed in Figure 7, with the lower ends spread to engage over inturned lugs 53 struck inwardly from the handle A. The pulley 52 is carried in this supporting member on a pivot such as a rivet 54. The supporting member 51 and the pulley 52 may be removed from within the handle by disengaging the ends of the legs of said member from the lugs 53, slightly bending these lugs outwardly and then forcibly pulling the brackets between these lugs to disengage it from the handle, whereupon it may be removed from the handle A after the handle has been disconnected from the head B.

An actuator for the chain is provided and is herein illustrated and described as a sleeve 55 disposed to slide along the outer surface of the handle A. The handle A has an elongated slot therein 56 in which rides a block 57 fastened to the sleeve 55. One end of the sprocket chain 50 is fastened to one end ofthe block 56 while the other end of the sprocket chain is fastened to the other end of the block 56. Movement of the slide or sleeve 55 along the handle A in either direction rotates the sprocket wheel 43 in accordance with the direction of movement of the sleeve.

The toothed Wheel 38 is so designed as to have the teeth engage the sprocket chain 59 for oscillatory or rotary movement of the wheel 38 as the chain 50 is moved in a manner hereinafter described.

The side members 11 and 12 of the members 8 and 9 are, at the central portions thereof, provided with shouldered pins 58, the inner reduced ends of which engage apertures 60 in the outer ends of the brush shafts 61. The outer end of a brush shaft 61 is covered by a metallic cap 62 which is provided with a central hole for receiving the reduced end 59 of the pin 58. This shaft has a flange with portions cut away to engage about certain of the bristles 63 at the end of the brush. This arrangement enables driving of the brush without any wear on the wooden core of the same.

The inner ends of the brush cores 61 are covered by metallic caps 64, which caps have flanges with cut-out portions for engaging about the bristles 65 at the inner ends of the brush elements or members.

These caps 64 are provided with outwardly extending tongues 66 whereby a tongue may enter the slot 49 in the end of the shaft 44 of the sprocket wheel 43. Thus there is provided driving connection between the sprocket wheel 43 and the brush shaft or core 61.v There are two such brushes illustrated in the accompanying drawings, one on each side of the central element or partition member D.

A removable semi-circular cover member 67 is provided to overlie the sprocket wheel 43 and engage the adjacent ends of the central portions 30 and 31 of the central member D for enclosing this member and preventing admittance of dirt into the same. This cover member 67 may be readily removed when it is desired to inspect and lubricate the sprocket Wheel 43 or the toothed wheel 38.

The handle A is attached to the head B by means of a socket 68 which, in the present instance, is shown as fastened to upturned ends of the members 8 and 9 and thereto welded or riveted. An additional strap 69 is riveted against the outside of the casing 1 also against a portion of the socket 68. The handle A enters the socket 68 and is secured thereto by means of a screw 70. The handle A is provided with a plurality of screw holes 71 arranged at different distances along the inner end of the handle so that the handle may be adjusted with respect to the socket 68 to properly tension the sprocket chain 50 and thus enable operation of the .sprocket wheel 43 by sliding movement of the sleeve 55.

The casing 1 is enclosed by means of a cover 7 which, at one end, is pivotally engaged as at 73 to the end walls 2 and 3 of the head B and is provided with a snap handle 74 for engaging underneath a snap element 75 fastened to the rear side of the casing 1 for retaining the cover 72 in closed position, Whenever it is desired to remove the cover 72, the tongue 74 may be disengaged from the member 75, the cover swung outwardly and the dirt discharged from Within the casing by turning the casing up side down.

The operation of the mop' of the present invention is as follows:

Whenever it is desired to mop or polish a hard surface floor such, for instance, as wood, tile, stone, brick, or the like, or linoleum or other surface, the operator grasps the handle A and moves the mop element C back and forth on the floor. The arrangement of the parts is such that the mop element C is restrained against rotation or oscillative movement during the mopping operation. When it is desired to brush clean the mop element C the head is raised from the oor and the operator, with one hand grasps the slide 55 and moves it back and forth along the handle, whereupon the sprocket wheel 43 is given oscillatory movement and thus oscillates the brushes which in turn clean the surface of the mop element C. The interengagementJ of the toothed wheel 38 with the sprocket wheel 43 causes rotative or oscillative movement of the mop element C and at the same timel the brushes are rotated or oscillated. Figure 5 indicates by arrows the relative direction of rotation of the brushes and the mop element C when actuated in the manner just described.

Suitably disposed within the head B are combs 76 which are formed as part of a removable structure. This structure includes end legs 77 bent with respect to the comb 76. The ends of the legs 77 have out turned feet 78 to engage in suitably disposed slots in the end walls 2 and 3 of the head B and also in the side walls 28 and 29 of the central element D. The legs 77 are provided with inclined notches 79 to engage lugs 80 struck from the end walls 2 and 3 and the side walls 20 and 29 of the central structure D. The notches 79 cooperate with the lugs 80 as the out turned feet 78 of the legs 77 engage in suitable slots in the wall, just described, to removably retain the comb structure in position. The combs 76 are provided with a series of teeth normally entering within the periphery of the brush element carried onthe cores 61.

A stripper is provided for each comb. This stripper consists of a central portion 81 and end members 82, which end members 82 are provided with pins 83 entering apertures in the legs 77 of the comb structure. The stripper member has an angularly disposed portion 84 which, when the brush is rotated in counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 5, tends to swing the stripper member 78 away from against the comb, as therein illustrated, to clear the teeth of the comb of any matted or accumulated dirt which has been combed from the brushes. Movement of the brushes in clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 5 engages the angular portion 84 and returns the stripper 81 against the comb structure as therein shown.

The inturned legs 6 of the casing structure underlies the brushes and forms a part of the dust compartment of the head B. A portion of this inturned part is slightly curved to correspond to the curvature of the brushes.

The brushes, as may be observed, consist of a plurality of groups of bristles let into suitably disposed openings in the wooden cores 61 and are illustrated as arranged in the form of spirals. The bristles of the brushes extend a slight distance into the fabric of the mop element so as to be certain to clean dirt from the surface of this element when the sleeve 55 is moved along the handle A as described.

The handle A is provided with an extension 85 having a reduced end portion 86 formed with a thread 87 therein to engage an inwardly extending projection 88 formed in the upper end of the mop handle. This extension 85 is provided with a brush 86 at its inner end which. brush is useful in cleaning parts of the mop apparatus and also may be used for dusting corners of rooms into which the mop cannot enter because of its construction and because of the angularity of the corners of the rooms. i

Normally the extension 85 is retained in the end of the handle A as illustrated in Figures 11 and 7. Figure 3 is a sectional View through the central element D and shows the relation of the parts Within such element.

The bolts 23 serve also as means for adjusting the position of the mop element C, as the surface thereof Wears in service. By turning the bolts the blocks may be bodily moved on the shaft 21.

The mop surface sleeves 24 and 25 may be renewed as often as the same Wear out in service.

The toothed member 38 engages the friction band 27 on the mop element C and rotates such element whenever the slide 55'is moved along the mop handle.

The mop element C may be leasily removed by spreading the portions 1l and 12 of the members 8 and 9, while the brushes may be removed by withdrawing the pins 58 from the end caps 62 and then Abodily disconnecting the other ends of the brushes from the slots 49 in the shaft 44 of the sprocket wheel 43.

The toothed wheel 38 has sometimes been herein mentioned as a star Wheel. The wheel 38 constitutes a driving member for the rotatable cylindrical mop element and therefore the terms toothed wheel and star wheel are understood as being used generically and not by way of limitation, as any suitable driving member for the mop element may be utilized.

The invention has been described herein more or less precisely as to details, but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereby, as `changes may be made in the arrangement and proportion of parts, and equivalents may be substituted, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The invention is claimed as follows:

l. A floor mop including a cylindrical rotatable mop element, cylindrical rotatable brush means in contact with said element for cleaning said element, combing means for said brush, means for imparting relative movement to said element and brush in both directions during the cleaning of the element, the combing means being effective for cleaning said brush during movement of said brush, and means operable by the brush during rotation thereof in one direction for cleaning the combing means.

2. A floor mop, including in combination, a

- hollow handle, a mop element, brush means for cleaning said element, means for rotating said brush means and mop element with the surfaces thereof in contact for cleaning said element, said rotating means including a sprocket wheel in driving engagement with said brush means and a toothed Wheel in engagement with said mop element, a sprocket chain having a portion passing between the sprocket and toothed wheels for rotating same, said chain extending into the mop handle, means on said handle for actuating said chain and means within the handle carrying a pulley for the chain.

- 3. A floor mop; including in combination; a box-like head and a hollow handle; a cylindrical, rotatable mop relement removably supported by said head; a central partition member within said head; a sprocket wheel removably supported in said partition member; Ya sprocket chain trained over said wheel for driving the same and extending into said handle; a toothed wheel loatingly supported in said partition member for driving said mop element; rotatable brushes within said head disposed one on each side of said partition member disposed with the brush surfaces against the mop element surface within said head; driving connections between said sprocket wheel and said brushes; and means on said handle for moving said chain to rotate the sprocket wheel and the brushes; the sprocket chain also engaging said toothed wheel to rotate said mop element when said chain is moved.

,4. A oor mop including in combination, a cylindrical rotatable mop element, a cylindrical rotatable brush means in contact with said mop element, an Vendless chain extending into the mop handle, a slide on said handle connected to said chain for moving it in to and fro directions, a sprocket wheel engaging said'chain for rotation in both directons, said sprocket Wheel being operatively connected to said brush means for rotating said means in both directions, and a star wheel rotatable by said chain in both directions, said star wheel adapted to rotate said mop element as said chain is actuated by said slide, the parts being arranged in such manner that the rotation of said mop element and said brush means is inthe same direction.

5. In a floor mop of the type wherein a cylindrical rotatable mop element is used, means for rotating said lmop element, said means including a star wheel engageable with said mop element, a floating mounting for said star wheel, spring means acting against said mounting for maintaining said star wheel in driving relation With said mop element, and means for rotating said star wheel.

6. A floor mop including in combination; a box-like head and a hollow handle, a cylindrical rotatable mop element removably supported by said head; a sprocket wheel removably supported by said head, a sprocket chain trained over said wheel fo-r driving the same and extending into said handle, a toothed wheel floatingly supported for driving said mop element; a rotatable brush within said head disposed in surface contact with the mop element surface within the head; driving connections between said sprocket wheel and said brush; an actuator for moving said chain to' rotate the sprocket wheel and the brush; the sprocket chain also engaging said toothed wheel to rotate said mop element when said chain is moved by said actuator.

7. A floor polishing mop including a casing and a handle, a cylindrical rotatable mop element supported by said casing with a portion of the mop element surface exposed for use, brush means within said casing'for cleaning said mop element, said brush means including a cylindrical rotatable brush disposed in surface contact with said mop element,'means for adjusting the relative positions of said mop element and said brush to compensate for wear and to maintain the same in surface contact, a sprocket for rotating said brush in both directions, a star wheel Wooden core and groups of' bristles mounted in the core, and an end cap applicable over an end of said core and having a part for connection to a brush driver in driving relation, said cap having slots in it to engage about certain of the bristles for rotating said core when said brush driver is actuated.

ANATOLLE B. COURCI-IENE. 

